'Gangrel' is an archaic word derived from northern British dialect. Roughly, it means "wild" or "feral".

In modern popular usage, the word is the name of one of the vampire clans in the White Wolf roleplaying game "Vampire: The Masquerade" (later "Vampire: Requiem").

True to the word's original meaning, within White Wolf's 'World of Darkness' game environment, the Clan Gangrel are usually loners, preferring to spend their time in rural areas or otherwise away from 'civilisation'.

In reference to Vampire the word is capitalised.

As a singular noun: "He's a Gangrel."
As a plural noun: "She's one of the Gangrel."
Collectively: "The Clan Gangrel".

In its original usage, the word could either be a noun ("a gangrel") or an adjective ("a gangrel creature"), and was not capitalised.

Of all vampires, the Gangrel are perhaps closest to their inner nature. These nomadic loners spurn the constraints of society, preferring the comfort of the wilderness. How they avoid the wrath of the werewolves is unknown; perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Gangrel are themselves shapeshifters. When a mortal speaks of a vampire changing into a wolf or a bat, she is probably speaking of a Gangrel.